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☆ ‘They said we were American spies’: Priests describe Russia’s crackdown on Evangelicals in occupied Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

Kyiv, Ukraine CNN —Pastor Dmytro Bodyu said the Russians kept telling him they knew he was an American spy, specifically, a CIA agent paid by the US government to spread anti-Russian propaganda in occupied Ukraine. Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has jailed dozens of Ukrainian faith leaders in occupied areas, according to Ukrainian prosecutors. In the territories occupied after February 2022, Russian tactics became bloodier and more violent,” he said. Ukraine created its own independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine in 2018, splitting from the Moscow-affiliated Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). ‘American spies’Moscow has been cracking down on all non-Russian churches in occupied Ukraine, but Protestant and Evangelical groups have often been among the first to be banned.

Persons: Dmytro Bodyu, “, ” Bodyu, Bodyu, he’d, Petros Giannakouris, Jae C, Bohdan Heleta, Ivan Levitsky, ” Heleta, ” Bohdan Heleta, Alex Babenko, Levitsky, Maksym, Vishchyk, ”, ” Vishchyk, Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, Kirill, Putin’s, Mariupol, Evgeniy, Priest, of Jesus Christ, Falun Gong, Serhii, Serhii Chudynovych, Chudynovych, ‘, ’ ”, ’, Mike Johnson, Mykhailo Brytsyn, Brytsyn, Ivashchuk, Mykhailo Brystsyn, Ivana Kottasova, Grace, Mykhailo Brytsyn Ihor Ivashchuk, ” Ivashchuk, Pastor Ihor Ivashchuk, CNN Ivashchuk, CNN’s Katharina Krebs, Victoria Butenko Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, CIA, Life, CNN, Ukrainian, Russian Orthodox Church, 95th Air Assault Brigade, Yasuyoshi, Getty, Orthodox Church, Information Resilience, AP Church, Russian Defense Ministry, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Catholic Church, Global Rights, State Department, Church of, Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Ukraine’s State Service, Ethnic, Russian, Church, of Jesus, of Scientology, Orthodox, of, Kherson Prosecutor’s, Protestants, Evangelical, Ukraine, Grace Church, Russia, Evangelical Grace Church, ” CNN, Grace Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, American, Melitopol, Ukrainian, Moscow, Russia, Donetsk, AFP, Berdiansk, Kherson, Lukashivka, Chernihiv, Odesa, Crimea, Vishchyk, “, Russian, Church of Ukraine, Mariupol, of Ukraine, Serhii, Bashtanka, ’ Moscow, United States, Soviet Union

☆ Trump’s FBI pick co-hosted a show for a conspiracy-filled, far-right media organization
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-08 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Brandy-Zadrozny-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Brandy Zadrozny | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +14 min

Such were the weekly topics on “Kash’s Corner,” the eponymous online show hosted by President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI. The show, available only to Epoch Times subscribers, could receive fresh scrutiny as Patel faces Senate confirmation hearings. The details of Patel’s contract with The Epoch Times aren’t known. Jekielek and The Epoch Times did not respond to requests for comment. “What, is the FBI going to come around and say, ‘Now, oh, we were just spending government dollars to help safeguard a nation’?

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Kash Patel, Patel, Jan Jekielek, Trump’s, ”, Larry Elder, “, Bill Guan, Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, Gong, Barack Obama, ” Patel, Jekielek, Spygate, Bauer, Trump, Kash —, Guan, Nicholas Biase, Steve Bannon’s “, Joe Biden, “ We’ve, “ Russiagate ”, Hunter, They’re, “ It’s, Anthony Fauci, immunologist, “ Fauci, Daniels, Jean Carroll, ” Jekielek Organizations: President, FBI, Epoch Times, NBC, Times, Epoch, Trump’s Save America PAC, Big Tech, Trump, ”, A.J, University of Alabama, Prosecutors, Department of Labor’s, State, Diplomatic Security Service, Forces, Attorney’s, Southern, of, Public, NBC News, Capitol, Twitter, DOJ, U.S, Commission, National Institute of Allergy Locations: China, conspiracism, U.S, Vietnam, of New York, Trump

☆ Lawsuit alleges that young dancers for Shen Yun Performing Arts have faced abuse
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-27 | by ( Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The lawsuit said Shen Yun has made hundreds of millions of dollars by exploiting young dancers it recruits from abroad, forcing them to work grueling hours and scaring them into thinking they’d face harm if they quit. According to the website, Shen Yun, along with Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and Fei Tian College — which were also named as defendants — were founded by followers of the Falun Gong faith. After the first year, she was paid $500 a month until she “graduated” from Fei Tian College in 2019, when her salary was raised to $1,000 a month, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit said she contracted measles when she was 14 but was not permitted to see a doctor. Instead, the lawsuit said, she was told to meditate to feel better and was required to work while she recovered.

Persons: Shen Yun, Chang Chun, Chang, Shen Yen, “ Organizations: White Plains , New York AP, Shen Yun Performing Arts, Chinese Communist Party, CCP, New York State Department of Education, New, New England Commission, Higher, Fei Tian Academy of, Arts, Fei Tian, Radio City Music Hall, Fei Tian College Locations: White Plains , New York, White Plains, Dragon Springs, Cuddebackville , New York, New England, Manhattan, United States, Taiwan

☆ Australia's Albanese, China's Li hold 'candid' talks
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

China's Premier Li Qiang (L) and Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shake hands during a signing ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra on June 17, 2024. This dialogue has allowed us to build a deeper awareness of our respective interests," Albanese said in opening remarks. After the meeting, Li told reporters the leaders held a "candid, in-depth and fruitful meeting and reached a lot of consensus". Albanese told reporters after the meeting the two countries had revitalized engagement and he was "determined to keep growing our relationship where we can." watch nowOn regional issues, he had told Li that "Australia advocates that we should all work together to promote a regional balance where no country dominates and no country is dominated".

Persons: Li Qiang, Anthony Albanese, Lukas Coch, Li, Xi Jinping, " Albanese, Albanese, Gong, Tenzin Wougyal Organizations: Australia's, House, AFP, Getty Locations: Canberra, Australian, Beijing, Australia, China, Hong Kong

☆ How a pro-Trump media outlet allegedly funneled tens of millions in an illicit money laundering scheme
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The sophisticated scheme boosted revenue flowing into the coffers of The Epoch Times, the Justice Department said. In one year, revenue at the Trump-boosting outlet ballooned 410%, jumping from $15 million to about $62 million, the Justice Department added. But, when CNN asked for further comment on Tuesday, The Epoch Times brass chose to stay mum. The indictment said there was an entire group at The Epoch Times that took part in the alleged money laundering scheme. Notably, Tang and Fakkert declined to answer questions about whether they were aware of the alleged scheme.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Weidong Guan, Guan, MAGA, Gong, Mark Zuckerberg, Trump, ”, “, Department’s, Guan —, John Tang, Jasper Fakkert, Tang, Fakkert, It’s Organizations: New York CNN, Department of Justice, Times, Epoch Times, Justice Department, Trump, Department, Fox News, New York Times, Facebook, NBC News, Epoch, CNN, Outfront, PayPal, Justice Locations: New York, ”, China

☆ Conspiracy theory-fueled newspaper Epoch Times grew revenue 4x thanks to CFO's crypto crime proceeds, feds say
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Epoch Times wasn't named in court records, and the Justice Department said the case had nothing to do with its editorial slant. They used the prepaid cards and financial accounts that were opened with stolen personal information to plow millions of dollars into the Epoch Times' bank accounts, prosecutors say. The Epoch Times said in a statement that it had suspended Guan, though it said that he was innocent until proven guilty. Advertisement"The Epoch Times has a guiding principle that elevates integrity in its dealings above everything else," the statement said. ET: This story has been updated to include a comment from Epoch Times received after publication.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Bill, Guan, Damian Williams, it's, Biden Organizations: Service, Times, The Justice Department, Epoch Times, Business, Justice Department, Southern, of, NBC, Gong Locations: New York, Manhattan

☆ Zhongnanhai: The scenic garden that became China’s secretive seat of power
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( Jonathan Chatwin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

As the seat of power, Zhongnanhai is often thought of as China’s equivalent to the White House, or the Kremlin. Architectural changesThere have been serious revisions to the architecture of Zhongnanhai since the end of imperial rule in 1912. Having re-established Zhongnanhai as a center of political power in the new China, Mao set about rebuilding the compound according to his tastes. “It was here,” noted Aldrich, “with the background trappings of a scholar, that he met Nixon and Kissinger in 1972.”Most subsequent leaders have preferred to keep a house outside the Zhongnanhai compound. However, the compound hasn’t always been so forbidden for the masses following the collapse of China’s imperial dynasty.

Persons: Jonathan Chatwin, “, Deng Xiaoping, Leung Chun, Xi Jinping, Simon Song, Xi Jinping’s, Ming, Geremie Barmé, Qianlong, Feng Li, ” Linda Jaivin, ”, Dowager Cixi, Zhongnanhai, Cixi, Dowager, M, Aldrich, Mao Zedong, ” Aldrich, China’s, Yuan Shikai, Yuan Shikai ‘, William Lewisohn, Xinhuamen, William Cooper, —, Qianlong Emperor, Yuan, Invincible Mao, — Mao, Kangxi, Mao, Zhou Enlai, Chen Yi, Zhang Wentian, Nikita Khrushchev, Khrushchev, Nixon, Kissinger, Hu Jintao, Jiang Zemin, Newscom Aldrich, Mao’s, Li Zhisui, Xi, Chicago's Walter, Hu Yaobang, Gong, “ Heck Organizations: CNN, Bell, Communist Party, CCP, White, Hong, China Morning, University of Bristol Library, Great Communist Party of China, ”, Shuangqing Villa, Alamy, State Council, China’s Politburo, Huairen, Chicago's Walter Payton College Preparatory, New York Times, Zhongnanhai, Bloomberg Locations: Modern China, Prospect, Tiananmen, Hong Kong, Zhongnanhai, City, China, Beijing, “, People’s Republic, New China, Arlington, Peking, Xinjiang, Russian, Beihai, Beijing’s, Huairen, Qinzheng Hall

[1/5] Protesters taunt people in suit, during a rally in opposition to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 15, 2023. REUTERS/Loren Elliott Acquire Licensing RightsSAN FRANCISCO, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Protesters took to the streets of San Francisco early on Wednesday morning ahead of a meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, obstructing some entrances to the APEC conference. Global leaders and CEOs of major U.S. corporations will all be at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in San Francisco, offering tempting targets to protest. Protesters supporting spiritual group Falun Gong, which is banned in China, lined motorcade entry points into the convention center area. Supporters of China also turned out near where Biden and Xi will meet, waving Chinese and U.S. flags as well as posters with both flags together.

Persons: Loren Elliott, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Biden, Pema Doma, Xi, ”, Gong, Xi's, Ann Saphir, Peter Henderson, Josie Kao Organizations: Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, APEC, Global, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Police, Chinese Communist Party, U.S . Department of Homeland Security, U.S, Secret Service, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, San Francisco, Israel, Tibet, United States, China, Francisco

☆ GOP presidential candidate Larry Elder's financial disclosure shows he made between $1 million-$5 million from far-right newspaper, The Epoch Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

GOP presidential candidate Larry Elder filed his financial disclosure on Monday, three months late. He reported earning between $1 million and $5 million from the far-right newspaper, The Epoch Times. In the disclosure, Elder said he made between $1 million and $5 million from The Epoch Times. AdvertisementAdvertisementFounded in 2000, The Epoch Times is a nonprofit publication with close ties to the Chinese religious sect, Falun Gong. Joan Donovan, a nationally-recognized misinformation and disinformation expert, said in an interview with NBC News that The Epoch Times was "a known disinformation operation."

Persons: Larry Elder, Gong, he's, Elder, Kimberly Leonard, spender, Joan Donovan Organizations: Epoch Times, Trump Facebook, Service, GOP, Twitter, Trump, Facebook, NBC News, Times, Republican National Convention, RNC Locations: Wall, Silicon, Milwaukee , Wisconsin

☆ China's sprawling spy agencies are designed to root out the 'five poisons' at home and abroad, British intelligence says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Yin Gang/Xinhua via Getty) (Xinhua/Xinhua via Getty ImagesIn a recent report to parliament, the British intelligence services detailed the operations and goals of the Chinese intelligence services. The Chinese intelligence services are also collecting information on the Chinese democracy movement at home and abroad — including in the US — in an attempt to subvert it. According to the British intelligence report, Xi has sought to make Chinese intelligence activity more professional through reform and investment. "In more ways than one, the broad remit of the Chinese Intelligence Services poses a significant challenge to Western attempts to counter their activity," the report said, citing assessments by British intelligence officers. "To compound the problem, it is not just the Chinese Intelligence Services: the Chinese Communist Party co-opts every state institution, company and citizen.

Persons: Yin, Ma Ying, Xi Jinping, Chuang, Gong, Dalai Lama, Murad Sezer, Xi, Xie Huanchi, hoover, Stavros Atlamazoglou Organizations: Chinese Communist Party, intel, Beijing, Service, Ministry of Public Security, Yin Gang, Getty, Xinhua, of State Security, of Public Security, Force, NSA, REUTERS, CCP, of, People, US National Counterintelligence and Security Center, Chinese Intelligence Services, Hellenic Army, 575th Marine Battalion, Army, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins, School, International Locations: China, Wall, Silicon, Beijing, Xinhua, Taipei, Singapore, Xinjiang, Taiwan, Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Istanbul, Johns

☆ Jiang Zemin: China's Xi calls for unity at former president's memorial service
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Hong Kong CNN —China’s Xi Jinping on Tuesday called on the country to unite around his leadership as he addressed a memorial service for former leader Jiang Zemin, following an unprecedented show of dissent over his zero-Covid policy and authoritarian rule. At the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi led hundreds of China’s political and military elites to pay final tribute to Jiang, who died last Wednesday at the age of 96. Chinese leader Xi Jinping leads other officials to bow during a formal memorial for late former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin in Beijing on December 6, 2022. Coming to power in the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, Jiang led China out of international isolation and guided its integration into the global market. On Tuesday, in his first public speech since the protests, Xi praised Jiang for ensuring the party’s survival from the “political storms” of his time.

HONG KONG — Chinese authorities are moving to ease strict “zero-Covid” controls, in an apparent response to a nationwide wave of protests that have otherwise been suppressed. Police form a cordon in Beijing on Monday during a protest against China’s strict “zero-Covid” measures. Kevin Frayer / Getty ImagesChinese authorities have mostly stamped out the protests, with heavy police presence at protesters’ former gathering sites. Like other Chinese leaders, Jiang showed little tolerance for dissent, jailing activists and banning the Falun Gong religious movement. But the political environment has greatly tightened under Xi, leading some people in China to reassess Jiang’s legacy.

☆ Factbox: A chronology of dissent in China in recent decades
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( James Pomfret | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The following is a timeline of some other notable protests, and public dissent against China's ruling Communist Party. 2009 - Xinjiang - In the region's worst ethnic unrest in decades, ethnic Uighurs attacked majority Han Chinese in the capital Urumqi, after an incident involving Uighur workers in a factory in southern China. China later builds massive "facilities" to turn Xinjiang into what a United Nations panel described as a "massive internment camp shrouded in secrecy". China later imposes a powerful national security law, arresting scores of democrats and shutting down civil society groups and liberal media outlets, including the Apple Daily newspaper. 2022 - Henan bank protests - Public protests simmer as thousands lose access to their savings in a banking fraud scandal centred on rural lenders in Henan and Anhui provinces.

☆ Obituary: China's Jiang Zemin confounded doubters, mended U.S. ties
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

[1/5] A security guard stands next to a portrait of China's former President Jiang Zemin at an exhibition to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing, China, July 7, 2011. Under Jiang, China weathered the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis, joined the World Trade Organisation in 2001 and won the bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. "Jiang Zemin was more ready to be natural, even though sometimes it could be perceived as vulgar, not very sophisticated." At celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the People's Republic in 1999, floats carried giant portraits of Mao, Deng and Jiang past Tiananmen Square. Jiang, like Mao, wore his trousers well above his waist and brushed his hair straight back.

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